AI startup Cluely raises $5.3 million to let users 'cheat on everything,' even job interviews and exams

A pair of Columbia University dropouts have secured $5.3 million in seed funding for Cluely, an AI startup that boldly promotes its technology as a way to “cheat on everything,” from coding tests to job interviews and even sales calls.

Founded by 21-year-olds Chungin “Roy” Lee and Neel Shanmugam, Cluely has already drawn controversy and headlines for its brazen approach to automating deception. The startup emerged after Lee and Shanmugam developed Interview Coder, a tool that used a hidden browser overlay to assist candidates in job interviews, particularly for software engineering roles.

The project led to disciplinary action at Columbia University and eventual suspensions, according to reports. Both Lee and Shanmugam have since dropped out. But instead of retreating, they’ve parlayed the experience into a high-profile startup backed by Abstract Ventures and Susa Ventures.

Cluely, which now incorporates Interview Coder, is unapologetic about its mission. The tool lets users access AI assistance in real time via an invisible browser overlay that is undetectable during online interviews, tests, or meetings. A slick (and polarising) launch video showed Lee using the tool to bluff his way through a date, lying about his age and art knowledge with help from the AI.

Cluely’s tool has apparently struck a nerve: the company claims to have crossed $3 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) this month, despite or because of the backlash. Critics have likened its approach to the ethical dilemmas portrayed in shows like Black Mirror, while others argue it exposes the fragility of outdated systems, such as LeetCode-heavy coding interviews.

Lee even admitted to landing an Amazon internship using the tool. Cluely’s COO, Shanmugam, was also involved in the Columbia disciplinary case.